Scribes’ Tribe Scribblings

From Scribes’ Tribe Member, Joy Wooderson:

I had the pleasure of attending the West Coast Publication Party in Los Angeles on April 10 to celebrate the Spring 2008 issue of The Truth About The Fact: International Journal of Literary Nonfiction published by Loyola Marymount University. My piece “Bougainvillea and Barbed Wire: A Former Citizen Looks at the New South Africa” was selected for inclusion in this journal of essays, poetry and photography.

The impression imprinted on my mind from listening to the other eleven readers is the enormous courage of creative nonfiction writers. Writing the truth calls for a commitment to absolute honesty, and in many instances, a huge emotional investment. The essays in this journal are powerful, well-written, and reveal each writer’s willingness to be vulnerable. They also give personal insights into life in other cultures, telling stories that would never make the news.

I have written a variety of nonfiction essays—some humorous, some informative. For the longest time, I wrestled over portions of the content of my manuscript, Finding Joy. I didn’t want the world to know my deepest feelings, my questioning, my struggles. Listening to, and subsequently reading, the essays and poems in this journal have made me realize the power of honest writing. Its emotional impact will differ for each reader, but it will have an effect.

So, to my fellow nonfiction writers, I say “Bravo!” Thank you for sharing the nitty-gritty of your lives, for inspiring courage in me and others. Thank you for opening my mind to people, situations, and challenges I would never know about otherwise. Thank you for reminding me that it’s healthy to be vulnerable.

Loyola Marymount University’s Department of English is to be commended for their commitment to nonfiction writers and poets, for giving us credibility and affirmation.

To learn more about Joy and her writing, and to read an excerpt of Finding Joy, check out her website.